Clutch.



'APPLICATION miv MAY l.

R. B. MOHTON.

CLUTCH.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES l a/L/(MJ R. B. MRTON.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATON HLED MAY 1 l9l2.

1,171,230. Patented Feb. 8,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR SLAM Re, mw

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH IB. MORTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CLUTCH.

Application led May 1, 19.12.

To ali ywhom t may Concern.'

Be it known that I, IiiooLrn B. lllonroN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates certain nevvr and useful improvements in clutches.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved friction clutch so constructed that the driving and driven Sections thereof may be readily connected and disconnected without throwing unnecessary strains upon the shafting.

A further object is to provide clutching elements of improved construction, and simple and etiicient means for operating the same.

A further object is to provide improved means for supporting the various parts in their operative relation.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingzmFigure 1 is a side elevation illustrating my :improved clutch, parts being in section. E ig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3 3 Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a` detail view illustrating the turn buckle elements.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates the driving element of the clutch, preferably the Hy wheel of an engine (not shown), although I do not desire to limit myself in this particular. Said Hy Wheel is bolted or otherwise secured to the engine shaft 1L and is provided with an extension 13 on which is rotatably mounted the hub 14 of the driven element of the clutch. Said hub 11i is connected by means of a universal coupling 15 with a collar 1G secured upon the driven shaft 17, said coupling serving to prevent strains and friction on the parts resulting from disalinement of the parts because of vibration from the engine, and shocks from other sources. The hub 1i and collar 15 are provided with coinciding 50 grooves 18, 1S to receive a slidable toothed rack 19 which is secured to an operating collar 20 slidably mounted on the collar 15, a. stop 21 being provided to limit the move nient of said sliding collar in one direction. 55 The hub 1i is provided with a flattened portion 25 to which are secured spaced apart Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916. Serial No. 694,378.

bearing blocks L16 provided with coinciding bores in which are rotatably mounted the opposite ends Q8 of a turnbuchle member 29. The middle portion of said member is enlarged to form annular shoulders contacting with the bearing blocks 2G to prevent end wise or longitudinal movement. The middle or enlarged portion of the member 25) 1s provided with teeth at 30 forming a pinion which meshes with the teeth of the rack 19.

The clutch shoes each comprise curved members 31 pivotally mounted at 32 upon an annular Hange 33 carried by the hub 14, each shoe being provided with a horizontally extended flange 34. Secured to each shoe is a clutch block 35 of suitable material designed to hear against the inner face of the flange 3G of the Hy wheel. Each clutch shoe is also provided with cars or lugs 37 arranged in pairs and designed to pivotally support threaded connecting sleeves 3S. Each connecting sleeve 38 receives one threaded end 39 of a longitudinally adjustable rod 40, the other end A11 of each rod el() being threaded and in engagement with one end of the turnbuclle member 29. Lock nuts 42 serve to normally prevent relative movement between the sleeves 3S and the rods 10, although permitting relative adjustment of said parts. It will be noted, that the pivotal connection between the lugs 3T and the pivot point 3Q of each clutch shoe are approximately in alinernent,` e., they would be intel-sented by a line arranged approximately at right angles to rods 40.

The collar 2O may be operated in any suitable or preferred manner. In the drawings, I have illustrated a rock shaft mounted to oscillate in suitable bearings 51 carried by a supporting frame 52. :said rock shaft being provided with crank arms 53 which engage pins 54 carried by the collar 20. The rock shaft 50 is oseillated by means of a crank arm 55 connected with a connecting rod 5G leading to any suitable or desired point from which it is desired to operate the clutch.

The operation is as follovvsz-VVhen it is desired to connect the driving and driven members of the clutch the rock shaft 50 is oscillatcd to eiiect a movement of the rack 19 by shifting collar Q0. The longitudinal movement of the rack 19 effects a rotation of the nut-like member Q9, which cooperates with the rods l0 to form a turnbuckle, and

lll)

effects a longitudinal movement of said rods away from said member l() causing the brake shoes to move toward the flange 36 of the Il v wheel 1U. very slight movement of the clutch shoes will bring the clutch blocks into close fric-tional engagement with said flange 3G, effectively connecting the hub l-l with the fly wheel so that the two will rotate in unison and without slipping. It is obvious, of course, that rotation of the hub li effects a corresponding rotation of the driven shaft 17 through the coupling l5. To unclutch or disengage the driving and driven members it is only necessarv to reverse the above described movement of the rack if), whereby the turnbuekle construction will withdraw the brake shoes and their blocns from engagement with the flange of the tlv wheel. It will be particularly noted that when the clutch shoes have once been operated to engage the flange 36 they are securely locked in such engagement and accidental disengagement thereof is impossible and vet but little power is required to engage and disengage when these functions are desired.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same. although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what I claim is l. An improvement in clutches comprising a driving member provided with a flange, a driven member, clutch shoes pivotally supported by said driven member opposite said flange, connecting sleeves pivotally connected with said shoes, rods adjustably connected with said connecting sleeves. a rotatable turnbuckle member adjustably engaging the other end of each rod, and means for rotating said turnbuclrle member.

"2. An improvement in clutches comprising a driving member, a driven member, clutch shoes pivotally supported by said driven member, spaced apart bearing blocks carried by said driven member, a turnbuckle member rotatably mounted between said bearing blocks, turnbuckle rods adjustably engaging said rotatable turnbuckle member, connecting sleeves pivotallv connecting `with said clutch shoes and adjustably engaging said turnbuckle rods, means for preventing relative movement of said sleeves and said rods, and means for rotating said turnbuckle member.

3. An improvement in clutches comprising a driving member provided With a flange, a driven member, clutch shoes pivotally supported bv said driven member and rovided With flanges extending parallel with the Harige of the driving member, sleeves pivoted to the free ends of said shoes, rods adjustably connected with said sleeves, means for preventing relative movement of said rods and sleeves, a rotatable turnbuclrle member adjustably engaging the other end of each rod, and means for rotating said turnbuclrle member.

i. An improvement in clutches comprising a driving member provided with an over-banging liange, a driven member including a hub provided `with a radial flange, clutch shoes pivotally supported b v said radial flange and provided with flanges extending parallel with said overhanging flange, sleeves pivot-ally connected with the free ends of said shoes, rods adjustably connected with said sleeves, means for preventing relative movement of said rods and sleeves, a rotatable turnbuckle member adjustably engaging said rods, and means for rotating said turnbuckle member.

5. An improvement in clutches comprising a shaft, a driving member secured thereto and having an overhanging fiange` a driven member including a hub rotatably mounted on said shaft and provided with a radial flange, and a longitudinal groove, said hub having a flattened portion, clutch slices pivotally supported by said radial flange and arranged to engage said overhanging flange, spaced apart blocks secured to the flattened portion of said hub, a rotatable turnbuckle member supported by said blocks, turnbuckle rods positively connected to said shoes and adjustably connected to said rotatable member, and a slidable rack in said groove for rotating said rotatable member.

6. An improvement in clutches comprising a driving member provided with an overhanging flange, a driven member including a hub provided with a radial flange, said hub having a flattened portion. clutch shoes pivotally supported by said radial flange and each provided with a flange arranged approximately parallel with said overhanging flange, spaced apart blocks secured to the liattened portion of said hub, a rotatable turnbuckle member mounted between said blocks, sleeves pivotallv7 connected with the free ends of said shoes, turnbuckle rods ad.- justably engaging said sleeves and also adjustably engaging said rotatable member, means for preventing relative movement of' said sleeves and said rods, and means for rotating said rotatable member.

7. An improvement in clutches comprising a driving member provided with an extension and an overhanging fiange, a driven member including a hub rotatabljyY mounted on said extension, clutch shoes pivotalljT supported b v said driven member opposite said flange, connecting sleeves pivotallv connected with said shoes, rods adjustably connected with said connecting sleeves, a rotatable turnbuckle member adjustably engaging the other end of each rod, and means for rotating said turnbuckle member.

8. An improvement in clutches comprising a shaft, a driving member secured thereto and provided with an extension in aline ment with said shaft, and also with an overhenging flange, a hub rotatably mounted on said extension and having a longitudinal groove, a driven shaft, means for operatively connecting said hub and said driven shaft, clutch shoes pivotally supported by said hub, a rotatable turnbuckle member carried by said hub, turnbuckle rods adjustably connected with said rotatable member, means for positively connecting said turn- Gopies of this patent buckle rods with said shoes, a rack slidably supported in the groove of said hub, said 15 rotatable turnbuckle member being provided with a pinion meshing with said rack, a slidable collar for reciprocating said rack, and means for operating said collar.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 20 my hand in presence oi' two subscribing witnesses.

RUDOLPH B. MORTON. lVitnesses:

WM. S. HoDeEs, CEAS. E. RIoRDAN.

may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or latents,

Washington, D. C. 

